Automatic material feeding machine



J. J. MILLER ET AL Awmmc MATERIAL FEEDING mcm'm Filed June 1929 Fly. 4.

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Patented Dec. 29, 1931 untru STATES; PATENT JOSEPH J'. MILLER AND GEORGEA. \KTEIG'I', OF FRESNO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORS CF NONE-THIRD T"EARLVIEIMAR, OE- PINEDALE, CALIFORNIA AUTOMATIC MATERIAL FEEDING MACHINEApplication filed. June 19,

Our invention relates to a machine that has for its purposethe automaticfeedin of short lumber, or other material, into the feed rolls of aresaw machine and in. so doing constitutes a very declded improvementover the' method now in use by numerous lumber companies in the UnitedStates. The present method of feeding'short lumber into a vertical resawmachine, for which our invencrease production by The primary object of,our invention is to provide a simple, quick, cheap, practical othermachine for this purpose either for its practicability as to method ofoperation or cost thereof although much intensive effort i means ofpower transmitted to them through the action of air or steampassing'through the valve into the cylinder and in turn transmittingpower by means of the operation of the piston rod to said crosshead andracks, come in contact with the lumber, or other material,

and feeds it steadily into the feed rolls of the resaw machine.

We accomplish these and other objects selfapparent by means of suchstructure and relative parts as are fully disclosed in the drawingswhich form a part of this specification,

V in which similar characters of reference designate similar partsthroughout said specification and drawings and 1n which Figure 1 showsthe end elevatlon, the sectional view 7 10. A rack 11 sliding in anadjustable block 1923. Serial No. 372,167.

of racks and adjusting block and section of straight-edge showingfeed-fingers projecting through slot; Figure 2 represents a plan view ofthe entire machine showing opera tive position'of feed-fingers withlumber in position and readyto be fed into the feed rolls; Figure 3shows the side elevation, sectional view of valve, and sectional viewthrough part of cylinder showing the piston; Figure 4: representsposition of feedfingers when same are operating in opposite directionsand showing piece of lumber in the act of being fed into the feed rollswhich are shown in Figure 2, the one feed-fingen being shown in the actof feeding a piece of lumber while the other feed-finger is automatically doubled back out of the way as it returns to position to feedthe lumber that follows, thereby keeping 'movin'g a'steadyw flow ofmaterial. 8 1 Sliding in a groove in a stationary base 1 is anadjustable block 2'to which is fastened abracket 3 supporting the valvecage 4. Through the medium of a valve 5 airor, steam is admitted to thevalve cage 4: which in turn passes through a pipe 6 into the end of acylinder 7 furnishing power to the piston head 8 to which is attached apiston rod 9 to which in turn is fastened the crosshead;

SO 2 is fastened to the crosshead 10 to which is attached a feed-finger12' fulcrumed on a pin 13 same being in turn also'fastened tothecrosshead 10. Suitable means, such as a spring 14 keeps thefeed-finger 12 in anouts5 ward, or operative position, by holding itagainst a stop pin :15, as illustrated in Figure 2. To one "end .oftherack 11 ismounted a bracket 16 to which is attached a reversing lever19, it causes the valve 21 to move from its seat 22 to its seat 23thereby allowing the air or steam to pass through the pipe 24 into thepiston head 8 thereby causing the piston head 8 to reverse its position,the r ck 11 in turn meshing with a pinion 25 which revolves on a pin 26,the pinion 25 in turn meshing with and transmitting motion to a rack 27to which is fastened a feed-finger 28 which in turn fulcrums on a pin29; the feed-linger 28 being held in an operative position by a spring30 and a stop pin 31. When the set collar 32, which is mounted on thereversing rod 17, comes in contact with the lever 19 the valve 21 iscaused to move from its seat 23 to its seat 22 thereby reversing thedirection of motion, as before described.

The short lumber, or other material, is brought to position against theface of the straight-edge 33, suitable means being provided for thispurpose, and is carried by means of a feed-finger 28 into the feed rollsof the iresaw machine, a portion of a vertical resaw machine beingillustrated in Figure 5 on the drawing and before referred to as being:no part 'of our invention as claimed in this specification. Asfeed-finger 28 carries ward into the feed rolls, feed-finger 12pivotringon a :pin 13 is automatically pressed out the way,:asillustrated in Figure l, not only and the action continues as before.

The straight-edge 33 is :a plate against which the lumber, or othermaterial, comes to position in readiness to be fed into the feed rollsof the resaw machine and feed lingers 12 and '28 operate through a slotcut into the iface'of the straight-edge, or plate 33,

as illustrated in Figure 1. It will be here noted :thatfeed-fingers 12and 28 may be operated independently of each other by removing thepinion 25 and by driving racks 11 and'27 independently.

Adjusting the length of stroke to permit the feeding of longer shortmaterial is'accomplished by positioning setcollars 18 and 32 inainy'ofthe series of holes 36 provided. for in the reversing rod 17';likewise, lock screw '34 when positioned in one of a series of holes 35provided for in the stationary base "1, permits theadjustahle block 2 tolocked in'the desired position.

lVhile this specification sets forth'in detail "the present andpreferred construction of the "device, st1ll 1n practlce suchvdeviationsfrom suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from thespirit of the invention as delinedby the appended claims.

Having'thus described our invention, what we claim as new and useful anddesire to protect by Letters Patent, is

l. Feeding mechanism comprising a pair of movable feed members, saidmembers being interconnected to move in opposite directions relative toeach other at all times, means for imparting reciprocatory move' ment toone of said members, and said last mentioned member serving to drive theother of said members through the interconnecting means, whereby saidmembers alternately execute a feed motion.

Feeding mechanism comprising a pair of longitudinally movable racks, agear meshing with both of said racks whereby said racks are constrainedto move in opposite directions, a'feed finger mounted on each of saidracks and means for imparting rcciprocatcry motion to said racks,whereby each of said feed fingersexecutesa feed stroke al "nating withthe feed stroke of the other finger.

3. Feeding mechanism comprising a pair of longitucdnally movable racks,a gear meshing with both of said racks whereby vsaid racks areconstrained to move in opposite directions, a feed finger mounted oneach of said racks and motive means for imparting reciproeatory motionto one of said racks, said motive means comprising a fluid operatedpiston, a valve for controlling said motive means, and means actuated bymovement of one .of said racks for controlling said valve.

4. In a feeding mechanism, a pair of longitudina lly movable racns, awork engagin feed member carried by each of said racks, azgear meshingwith both of said racks whereby said racks are constrained to move inopposite directions, motive means for imparting reciprocatory movementto one of said racks, control means for controlling said motive meansactuated by one of said racks, and means for adjusting said controlmeans to vary the extent of the reciprocating movement.

5. In a feeding mechanism, a pair of longitudinally movable racks, agear meshing with both of said racks whereby said racks are constrainedto move in opposite directions, means for imparting reciprocatorymovement to said racks, a feed finger'mountedon each of said racks, saidfeed lingers be ingarranged to move in adjacent parallel paths therebyperforming alternately substantially the same feeding operation.

6. ln feeding mechanism, a pair of longitudinally movable racks, a gearmeshing with both of said racks whereby said racks are-constrained tomove in opposite directions, means for imparting reciprocatory movementto said racks, a feed finger mounted on each'of said racks, said feedfingers being arranged to move in adjacent parallel paths therebyperforming alternately substantially the same operation, and each ofsaid feed fingers adapted to be moved to an inoperative position duringmovement in one direction of its associated rack.

I In a feeding mechanism, a pair of longitudinally movable racks, a gearmeshing with both of said racks whereby said racks are constrained tomove in opposite direc tions, means for imparting reciprocatory movementto said racks, a feed finger mounted on each of said racks, said feedfingers being arranged to move in adjacent parallel paths therebyperforming alternately substantially the same operation, and each ofsaid feed fingers adapted to be made operative during movement in onedirection of its ing a slot therein and saidfeed fingers extendingthrough said slot whereby said feed fingers are adapted to engagethematerial to associated rack andadaptedto be made ifif operativeduring movement in theopposite 7 direction.

8. In a feeding mechanism, a pair of longitudinally movable racks, awork engaging feed member carried by each of said racks, meansinterconnecting said racks whereby said racks are constrained to move inopposite directions, motive means for-imparting reciprocatory movementto one of said racks said motive means including a double acting fluidoperated piston, a valve for controlling the operation of said piston,means mounted on one of said racks for actuating valve and means foradjusting the period of operation of said valve.

9. In a feeding mechanism, a pair of longitudinally movable racks, afeed finger carried by each of said racks, a pinion meshing with both ofsaid racks whereby said racks are constrained to move in oppositedirections, means for imparting a reciprocatory movement to one of saidracks whereby each of said fingers executes a reciprocating feed strokeand each of said fingers adapted to be depressed into an inoperativeposition during the backstroke of its motion.

10. A feeding mechanism adapted to feed lumber and the like comprising apair of longitudinally movable racks, a work engaging feed fingercarried by each of said racks, a block in which said racks are slidablymounted, a pinion meshing with both of said racks whereby said racks areconstrained to move in opposite directions, means for regulating themovement of said racks and means for adjustingsaid block to compensatefor regulation of the movement of said racks.

11. In a feeding mechanism adaptedto feed lumber and the like, a pair oflongitunaliy movable racks, said racks being mount ed substantiallyparallel to one another in a substantially horizontal plane, a pin onmeshing with each of said racks whereby of said racks, said feed fingersadapted to move in parallel paths in a substantially vertical plane, avertically disposed plate hav-

